


the quiet life

by halcyonskies



Series: OTP Challenge [14]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Castiel, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angel Castiel, Angel Dean, Fluff, M/M, OTP Babies, Omega Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 19:11:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7476399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halcyonskies/pseuds/halcyonskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life isn't exactly exciting, but Dean wouldn't trade it for anything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the quiet life

**Author's Note:**

> 14th Challenge - Reunion

“So, Jackie, what d’you think?” Two pairs of eyes gazed up at Dean in wonder, huge and blue. Their little gray-down wings fluttered against his arms, soft as air. “Hm? Will Daddy be home by lunchtime?”

The oldest of his twins, of course, said nothing. He watched Dean for another few moments, blinking owlishly, before losing interest and snuggling down against his chest. Noah, the more curious between the two, continued to stare adoringly up at his omega father. Dean chuckled, stroking speckled copper feathers against Noah’s plump cheek. Soon enough he had joined his brother in sleep, tiny body completely lax against Dean’s. 

There came the warbling bleat of a sheep, and Dean looked up. The herd hadn’t wandered far, wooly bodies clustered together beside the fence; as always, Crowley kept careful watch over them from his nearby perch. The dog glanced up as Dean wandered close, wet nose twitching; the sneaky thing acted unaffected by his presence, but Dean had no doubt Crowley was hoping for a treat. Too bad there were none left – he and Azira had gobbled them all up ages ago, greedy beasts. They’d just have to wait and see if Cas brought any back from Elking this time around.

Speaking of which . . . Dean turned to the road leading away from their farm, a path hardly distinguishable from the meadowland on either side. It was the road Cas would take coming home, and it stretched a long distance – starting somewhere far beyond their farmland, and from here threading through several rural villages on its way to the town of Elking. It would probably be some time yet before the wagon came into view; after all, the Veil was a vast and empty region, and it took a fair amount of time for anyone to reach the nearest marketplace.

Dean liked living in the Veil. Those that had never been this far from a city were often wary of it, but wingfolk like Dean – who’d lived here with Cas going on seven years now – knew better. It wasn’t as desolate as people believed. With enough care, the land was arable enough to support a living, and Dean especially liked that it was far from Bluerime, their country’s capital city – and the place where he’d been raised.

Sam thought he was crazy for choosing the Veil over Bluerime, or Elking, or Crocus Falls – or any one of the towns one passed on the way to the capital. But Sammy had always been a social creature, enjoying the company of a hundred other people and all their myriad fancies. He liked the noise and crowds and filth that came with living in a densely populated area, whereas Dean had always preferred peace and quiet. 

Still – there  _ were _ disadvantages to living so far from the nearest trading town. One of them was the reason Dean was standing here, completely alone but for his hatchlings and the animals in their pastures. Every few months or so, either Dean or Cas had to travel to Elking for supplies they couldn’t make or grow themselves on the farm. Usually it was Dean that elected to go; his mate was a country alpha, born and raised in a rural village skirting the borders of the Veil, and he absolutely loathed the bustling atmosphere of a town or city. 

“If I never had to set foot in Bluerime for the rest of my life, I’d die happy,” he often said – complained, really – whenever Dean brought up the city he’d lived in for the majority of his childhood years. Unfortunately for Cas, the birth of their hatchlings had put Dean in a position where travel just wasn’t viable. They were still too young for the long ride, and it wasn’t as if  Cas could nurse them himself while Dean made the journey to Elking and back. 

His mate grumbled something fierce about it, but he still went. To be honest, Dean sort of missed those trips to town. Sammy and Jess lived in Elking and, if nothing else, it was nice to be able to visit them when the buying and trading had been finished. Dean loved Jack and Noah with the whole of his heart, but they couldn’t really offer him much in the way of companionable interaction. 

Ah, well. Soon they’d be weaned and Dean would be able to take his alpha’s place again. 

For now, the day was far from over. There was bread to bake, lunch to prepare, wool to spin, yarn to knit . . . the list of chores was long and ongoing. At the very least, the work would distract Dean from the loneliness that inevitably crept up on him after Cas had left. 

“Back to it, then,” Dean mumbled, soothing a fussy Noah back into his nap as he turned back toward the house. 

//

Dean’s alpha returned just as the sun was beginning to shift from center sky. The week’s bread was cooling on the sill and the twins had already finished lunch; Dean was just sitting down to his own meal when Azira barked out a warning. Crowley had joined in by the time Dean made it to the doorway, eyes immediately picking out the shape of the wagon in the distance. 

“Shut  _ up, _ Crowley,” Dean called out, though the beast paid him no mind. 

It was silly, but Dean still felt that excited little thrill flare up his spine in anticipation of Cas’ impending arrival. They’d been mated these past seven years and still Dean found himself impatiently awaiting the moment when he’d be able to smell his alpha’s snowmelt scent again, feel his great big wings fold over his own and hold him close. It was always a joy (and no small relief) to see Cas trundling slowly down that path, safe and sound and  _ home.  _

The horses pulled up in front of the cottage shortly, a cloud of dust rising up around their hooves. Cas dropped the reins and slipped down out of the wagon, wings coming up off his back as he made his way to Dean. For his part, Dean went easily into his alpha’s arms, dutifully baring his throat for Cas to snuffle eagerly into. 

“Miss us, Cas?” Dean teased, meshing their feathers together. The touch of his mate was a blessing after more than a week apart, and he certainly didn’t begrudge Cas’ need to be close.

“More than you can possibly imagine.” Cas seemed reluctant to step back, though he was less reluctant to pull the twins out of their sling and cradle them to his chest. Their little wings fluttered wildly underneath their alpha father’s protective wall of feathers, nonsensical voices rising up in greeting for the parent they hadn’t seen in ten whole days. 

“Well, take Jack and Noah inside and sit down for a second. I’ll take care of the horses in the meantime.”

Cas pulled him into a grateful kiss, which quickly evolved into something a touch less innocent. With two hatchlings between them, however, it wasn’t long before a bout of fussing had pushed them apart again. With one last rueful smile directed at Dean, Castiel ducked into the house, his rumbling voice soothing the whines away.

Lady and Cloud were eager to be free of the heavy driving tack, tossing their heads and pawing restlessly at the grass. They went easily enough through the pasture gate, scattering the herds as they cantered away from Dean’s hands. Crowley – who had finally quieted down as Cas drove up in the wagon – came trotting over from his perch, sniffing around Dean’s heels.

“Go away, you little scavenger,” Dean grumbled, shoving the heavy dog away with his foot. Even if Cas had actually brought anything back for them, they certainly wouldn’t be getting any from Dean – after all, it wouldn’t do to make them think he was some kind of pushover.

He was happy to see that every scarf, blanket, and pullover he’d tucked into the wagon before Cas left was absent, replaced by the crates, jars, and sacks his mate had purchased at market. Flour, sugar, preserves, salt and spices; candles, oil, lye; pots of dye to replace what Dean had used up in his knitted wares. He had to shake his head when he found the familiar tin of dog biscuits, full to the lid, but it brought a smile to his lips nonetheless. Cas could be fierce when he wanted to be, but Dean knew the truth of it – his mate was soft on the inside.

The wagon was mostly empty by the time Cas emerged from the cottage, his face a touch more relaxed than it had been when he first rode up. His wings were definitely less taut, resting comfortably against his back, and he had a smile ready for Dean when he caught sight of him. 

“Tired of them already?” Dean called over his shoulder, hefting a sack of flour up into his arms.

“Never.” Cas hurried over to help, brushing his dusky pinions over Dean’s in an affectionate gesture that still made Dean’s heart flip over in his chest. “They’re napping again.”

“I’m glad. They were pretty fussy last night; I think they knew you’d be home today.”

Dean’s alpha laughed, grabbing the last two sacks of flour. “They were missing their favorite parent.”

“Ha ha.” Dean knocked at Cas’ shoulder with his wing, feeling light and happy for the first time since the back of the wagon had faded into the distance a week and a half ago. “Well, they weren’t the only ones that missed you.”

“Really?” Cas ducked his head, eyeing Dean teasingly through his lashes.

Refusing to give Cas the satisfaction of seeing his blush, Dean turned his face away, flicking his wings in feigned disinterest. “Only because the chores take twice as long without you here.”

This time it was Cas who nudged Dean; the noise of their combined laughter prompted Crowley into barking again, though Dean couldn’t find it in him to mind. His family was complete again, and the Veil was no longer a lonely place to be. That was all that really mattered to him. 


End file.
